Photoshop and Gimp are two popular tools for image processing. While Photoshop has been the industry standard for three decades, Gimp is an open-source and free alternative. However, both apps have their strengths and weaknesses, and choosing between them depends on the user’s needs.
Photoshop’s range of functions is significantly larger than Gimp’s, and it has an optimal cooperation with other Adobe tools such as Acrobat, InDesign, and Illustrator. However, Adobe charges a lot of money for its professional software, and it can only be subscribed to now. On the other hand, Gimp is completely free, and it catches up with every update. But Gimp users may find that they need to spend money to get rid of some of its peculiarities.
Gimp’s current version 2.10 provides powerful tools and options, and it supports 16-bit or 32-bit color depth per channel. This means that Gimp has caught up with modern image processing programs. Depending on the filter, Gimp can be a suitable alternative to Photoshop for classic image processing.
To compare the two tools, an exemplary workflow containing the most important image processing tasks was chosen. A portrait retouching project was carried out in parallel with both Gimp 2.10.32 and Photoshop CC 2023 (24.1.1) versions.
Ultimately, the choice between Photoshop and Gimp comes down to the user’s needs. If they require a wide range of functions and optimal cooperation with other Adobe tools, Photoshop may be the better option. However, if they need a free and powerful alternative, Gimp is a suitable choice. Both tools can provide professional image processing.
